Earthquake
To: Kulwinder Kaur
By: Manavjot Singh 10th
1. EARTHQUAKE
• An earthquake (also known as
a quake, tremor or temblor) is the
shaking of the surface of the Earth
resulting from a sudden release of
energy in the Earth's lithosphere that
creates seismic waves. Earthquakes
can range in size from those that are
so weak that they cannot be felt to
those violent enough to propel objects
and people into the air, and wreak
destruction across entire cities. The
seismicity, or seismic activity, of an
area is the frequency, type, and size of
earthquakes experienced over a
period of time. The word tremor is also
used for
non-earthquake seismic rumbling.
At the Earth's surface, earthquakes manifest
themselves by shaking and displacing or
disrupting the ground. When the epicenter
of a large earthquake is located offshore,
the seabed may be displaced sufficiently
to cause a tsunami. Earthquakes can also
trigger landslides and occasionally,
volcanic activity.
• In its most general sense, the
word earthquake is used to describe any
seismic event—whether natural or caused
by humans—that generates seismic
waves. Earthquakes are caused mostly by
rupture of geological faults but also by
other events such as volcanic activity,
landslides, mine blasts, and nuclear tests.
An earthquake's point of initial rupture is
called its hypocenter or focus. The
epicenter is the point at ground level
directly above the hypocenter
2. HOW DO THEY
OCCUER?
There are three
main types of
fault, all of which
may cause an
interplate
earthquake:
normal,
reverse(thrust),
and strike-slip.
MEASURING AND
LOCATING
EARTHQUAKES
• The instrumental scales used to describe
the size of an earthquake began with the
Richter magnitude scale in the 1930s. It is a
relatively simple measurement of an event's
amplitude, and its use has become minimal
in the 21st century. Seismic waves travel
through the Earth's interior and can be
recorded by seismometers at great
distance.
• Every tremor produces different types of
seismic waves, which travel through rock
with different velocities:
Transverse S-waves (both body waves)
Longitudinal P-waves (shock- or pressure
waves)
Surface waves – (Rayleigh and Love
waves)
EFFECTS OF
EARTHQUAKES
The effects of earthquakes
include:
• Shaking and ground rupture
• Soil liquefaction
• Human impacts
• Landslides
• Fires
• Tsunami
• Floods
HISTORICAL VIEWS
• From the lifetime of the Greek
philosopher Anaxagoras in the 5th
century BCE to the 14th century CE,
earthquakes were usually attributed to
"air (vapors) in the cavities of the
Earth."[70] Thales of Miletus (625–547
BCE) was the only documented
person who believed that earthquakes
were caused by tension between the
earth and water.[70] Other theories
existed, including the Greek
philosopher Anaxamines' (585–526
BCE) beliefs that short incline
episodes of dryness and wetness
caused seismic activity. The Greek
philosopher Democritus (460–371
BCE) blamed water in general for
earthquakes.[70] Pliny the Elder called
earthquakes "underground
thunderstorms".[70]
RECENT STUDIES
• In recent studies, geologists claim that
global warming is one of the reasons
for increased seismic activity.
According to these studies, melting
glaciers and rising sea levels disturb
the balance of pressure on Earth's
tectonic plates, thus causing an
increase in the frequency and intensity
of earthquakes.
PREPAREDNESS
• The objective of
earthquake engineering is to foresee
the impact of earthquakes on buildings
and other structures and to design
such structures to minimize the risk of
damage. Existing structures can be
modified by seismic retrofitting to
improve their resistance to
earthquakes. Earthquake insurance
can provide building owners with
financial protection against losses
resulting from earthquakes
Emergency management strategies
can be employed by a government or
organization to mitigate risks and
prepare for consequences.
• Individuals can also take
preparedness steps like securing
water heaters and heavy items that
could injure someone, locating
shutoffs for utilities, and being
educated about what to do when
shaking starts. For areas near large
bodies of water, earthquake
preparedness encompasses the
possibility of a tsunami caused by a
large quake.
